反り
by manarchronism
Summary: Sometimes, good intentions get a little muddled up in the shitstorm of life. Sometimes, there is never actually good intent at all.
1. わた あめ- Cotton Candy

綿飴

わた あめ

 **Cotton Candy**

* * *

 _In which Harrison reminds Nerris_

* * *

Harrison was never one for role-playing, but in this instance; he could make do.

His ombre locks fluttered in his face as the wind blew, slightly adjusting his top hat. The magician frowned when he looked at the makeshift cobblestone painted structure. He let out a deep sigh as he knocked on the door. Normally, talking to the sorceress wasn't one of the things he'd want to do. A gust of wind gently rocked the frame of the pretend tower, causing it to lightly sway. His brows creased when the elf-kin did not answer with a snide remark or her normal wave. He pulled the cardboard handle and let himself in.

The improvised erection was much sturdier than it looked, that was certain. It had been reinforced on the inside by thick layers of cardboard. He smiled, knowing he couldn't expect any less of his rival. The interior of the tower was decorated with odd trinkets and magic items that she had collected over the course of the summer. Harrison admired the collection, knowing that even her fantasy magic had its own specific charm to it.

He stopped all of a sudden when he looked at an oddly placed cracked mirror in the middle of her things. His green orbs glistened in the cracks, slightly frightening him. Was that how she saw him? He hoped not. His yellow-green orbs drooped as he continued the quest he had forgotten. A smile perked up when he found the mage herself, resting against the staircase, covered in her navy blue cloak, huddled up into a small pile against the cold cardboard. He looked at her with a softened smile. He remembered seeing her parents with her. Parents that encouraged her personal hobbies. Soft brown cotton candy curls stuck out like a sore thumb amongst her sleek potions, jewels, and pretend weapons. He stopped to adore the way she was nestled in her tower, not so diligent, but attentive to her own cause. Glove covered hands untied a black cape and put it between them, suddenly shuddering at the cold. He sat next to her in silence, the rain is the only noise as it relentlessly hit the tower, unwavering. He let himself relax, finding the tower to be much more enjoyable than he would ever think. Suddenly, her craft was just as real as his. Although he still considered himself the superior magic kid, without debate.

He picked up a few of the transparent jars and shook them, just out of curiosity. He didn't know what was in the containers but wanted to find out, especially when a jar bubbled at the top. He read the bottom, ' _Dragon's Spit'_ and cringed as he set it back down on the shelf.

He felt the rain hitting the exterior of the building and completely lost himself in the rhythmic light thumps against the roof. A deep feeling of boredom set within him. He huffed as he sat on the jagged ground, make of makeshift slabs and planks Nerris collected around the camp. He noticed the small patches of weeds growing between the boards and pulled a few in curiosity. The small green pieces fell from his hands as the wind blew them away.

He rested his head against the wooden panels. Twelve minutes ago, he had just thought of admitting his feelings unceremoniously to the sorceress. Twelveminutes ago, he had barged into her tower. Twelve minutes ago, he had chickened out. Twelve minutes ago...had already passed.

With a weak smile, he remembered that he would be turning twelve in a month. He was just so... honestly tired. He had been bedraggled, angry, and fragile through the day. He didn't do a single magic trick through the whole damn day. He had been too busy sulking over the thought of what would happen when it was time to go home. The fun would completely stop. His life would become even more miserable. Harrison knew his parents would just send him anywhere. They never wanted to see him. Sometimes, they pretended not to see him. Not that he didn't understand the hardship of losing a child. It's just that they weren't grateful for the one that they had.

He felt the blood rushing to his cheeks, he stared at the small bookshelf to find a small gem, winking at him. It was so alluring. He walked closer to it, tempted to stroke the jewel.

"What do you think you are doing in here, Harrison?"

Time seemed to stop as he heard the steps creak. He could feel her gaze searing into his back. He couldn't find his breath; struggling to form words as his mouth quivered. Air rattled through his throat, but no actual words were said. Only a light wheezing. His vision is failing him. His eyes are scared. His arms are limp, the ruby falls. He watches her, knowing the next thing that will come out of his mouth will most likely earn him a 20 sided ass kicking.

"What? What are you doing in here Harrison?" she asked, growing more cross. She pouted, leaning against the wall. "Here to learn some _actual_ magic?"

He clears his throat, his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. She raises an eyebrow at his rudeness. He opens his lips. The words are stunted again. At that point, he knows that she suspects foul play. He looks as she walks around the trinkets and junk, searching for something.

"I have something important to say." he squeaks, trying to follow her movement with his eyes.

"The good lady provides an audience." she spat back, blue eyes searing into his own. She sits on a small chair decorated with plastic jewels.

"I...I just wanted to tell you," he whispered. "It's um... it's um...it raining."

Nerris rolled her eyes at him. "It wouldn't take a level ten mage to make that deduction, magician." She pulled out a playful smirk.

"Now what are you really here to say?"

His eyebrow twitched, Nerris knew how to play him like a fiddle.

"You don't wanna hear it." he snarled and reached for his cape. "You'll call me a weirdo."

"Spit it out, dwarf," she demanded.

He abruptly hugged her and sniffed her hair, which retained the scent of her cotton candy shampoo, as he playfully bit on the plastic elf tip of her ears. "I love the way your hair is just like cotton candy."

* * *

 **6.29.18 (Nerrison)**


	2. かげ - Shadow

影

かげ

 **Shadow**

* * *

 _In which_ _Max is not exempt from_ consequences

* * *

In the late summer of that year, they lived in a camp in isolation ,that looked across the river and the plain to the mountains. In the bed of the thick river, there were pebbles and boulders, dry and white in the sun, and the water was clear and swiftly moving and blue in the channels, with fish fighting against the current. The infamous bus went by the entrance and down the road. The dust raised powdered the leaves of the trees. The trunks of the trees too were dusty and the leaves fell early that year, in late August.

Nothing in the camp ever could assuage his sorrow. The pooling of mud between the cracks in the path told the age of the camp. It seemed to become less grand by the second. The sweet nectar of life seemed to erode from the cracked walls of log cabins that could barely support themselves anymore.

The mysterious aura around the mountains hung like mist in the air; their presence warned him of his own mortality. The fog circling their peaks, was absolutely stellar, in all of its natural glory. Max often imagined what things could be lurking into the dense forest surrounding them, but figured that the most dangerous thing in the camp wasn't really the woodland creatures, the neighboring camps, or the usual villain.

It was the staff. They were the reason he was even here in the first place. David had yet again requested for him to be here, to which his parents agreed.

Max looked up from the table in the mess hall to see an airborne pile of mashed potatoes hit Preston in the face. The performer stumbled over and glared at the source of the flying projectile. Nerf simply rolled his eyes in response, glaring at him. His lips curled into a smirk as the performer simply had retreated to the other side of the mess hall. Max turned away from the sight, getting involved in the beef between those kids had proven to be a hefty task before. An issue that was best left to time, and lots of therapy. This entire camp was in dire need of therapy, once he thought about it.

He dreaded camp. He wanted to burn the entire fucking forest to the ground.

He wanted to. He really really wanted to ruin the day by making the Grape Kool-aid cocktail that Daniel taught them how to make. Then he'd offer it to those fucking lovebirds, who had been unconsciously flirting for the last four days.

He sat on the bench of the lunch table, staring across the room as Neil was concentrated on whatever little knick-knack he dug up from Computer Camp. The mashed potatoes sat untouched on the drab green tray as he hatefully eyed the pairing across the room.

Harrison sat next to Nerris, staring directly at whatever weird kind of magical item she had in her hand. It was some sort of glass of what he could only figure, was some type of soda. It fizzed to the top, oozing some sort of liquid. It was probably some carbonated soda from one of the potions Gwen had put out for magic camp. Max slowly realized the next scheme on the horizon.

 _Getting that carbonated soda._

He laughed, why hadn't he realized that before? That was the perfect Soda scheme. Taking the Carbonated liquid and distributing it to hyper, eager, and problematic campers. That would definitely be the beginning of a true riot, which could allow for himself, Neil, and Nikki to make an easy escape.

He watched as Nerris poured the liquid into Harrison's cup. The magic duo hadn't even taken any of the stale bread, which was honestly the best thing to eat that the Quartermaster served. For the sole fact was that he didn't make it.

"It won't make you disappear or anything Harry, it's just an experiment. I just came up with it, thinking of you. I put some corn syrup, just to make it taste good." she laughed.

 _How did she even get corn syrup?_ Not that he really cared.

"It's still not as sweet as you," Harrison darkly whispered.

Max retched inside his mouth. Harrison touched her hand with a light blush. What was it with these kids? Whatever it was, it was icky and he found it oddly endearing, but still nasty. He rose from his seat. He stomped over to their table. The magic kids had been unperturbed by the angry raven-haired boy.

"For you, my good lady, this will only enhance-"

"I'll be taking that, Houdini." he sneered, putting the cup to his lips and chugging down the murky liquid.

Nerris' eyes widened as Harrison abruptly stood in shock. Max set the cup down and wiped his lips off the remainders.

"A bit sour. If you want to become a good magician you ought to _po_ _cus_ on your craft." he advised, "But, I can help you by getting the carbonated soda and corn syrup off your hands."

"Maxwell! You oaf, you don't know what you've done!" she bit. Nerris looked at him in terror. "And the wrong type of magic dimwit."

"Where did you get the flavor for it though?" he said, ignoring her. " It tastes like that cherry Tylenol shit."

"Whatever Max. The effects of the potion just seem to have not worked. Its back to the drawing board for me," she said. "Come on Harry, we gotta make more.

The pair of twelve-year-olds stood up and stormed out of the wooden cafeteria, enraged. Max went back to his seat, slightly agitated. What was that drink supposed to do? Give him powers or some shit?

As he sat back down on the wooden bench, he lowered his head in thought. Then his stomach churned and he felt a slight disturbance in his pants.

" Oh god, the Tylenol must be kicking in," he said, holding his hand over his mouth. He raced out of the cafeteria to throw chunks behind the counselor's cabin, his own little way of saying an extra 'fuck you' to David.

As he let his stomach empty out against the grass, he could feel an overwhelming sense of adoration wash over him, taking over his mind. He absently smiled as he walked away. He began to walk deeper into the forest and stopped when he reached the lakefront, his eyes trained on the water.

"Why am I dressed like a fucking pauper?" he asked himself, "And where is the princess?"

* * *

 **Oh no, whatever Max drank really messed him up. Any guesses on what the potion did to him? Winner gets a request. And thanks Steampunk Wilson, I'll change the age. I was just doing it to how old I thought was the standard age. But Ered is like 15, so I guess Harrison is about 12-13? I don't know exact ages, sorry.**

6.30.18 (Max + Nerrison)


	3. いと- Thread

糸

いと

 **Thread**

* * *

 _In which Max goes (more) rogue_

* * *

"I thought you were with him!" Nikki exclaimed. "I dunno where the hell he went."

Neil froze, almost dropping his makeshift phone. If Max had just disappeared off to wherever, there was no telling if he comes back. Max would never leave his best friends, especially without a reason. Neil began to think of possible things that could have happened.

"What if he's been taken by the wood scouts?" he asked Nikki. "Or has David actually snapped?"

"Nah, Camp man wouldn't do that. He's too preoccupied with cleaning up that pile of throw up against the cabin too." she rationalized. "But the wood scouts might have actually got him."

Neil looked sternly at Nikki. "You know what we must do?"

Nikki nodded and went over to Max's suitcase, and pulled out a lighter. "Burn his stuff and send it off in a Viking style funeral?"

Neil pulled the lighter away from the female, alarmed. "No."

"Fine, we gotta go to their camp," she admitted with a frown. "But I think Max probably is ok."

A shuffling noise was made at the front of the tent as Dolph poked his head in with a scared look on his face. "I found this nearby the lake."

He put one of Max's infamous jackets on the ground, leading Neil and Nikki certain. Their friend was no longer with them.

"We're going to the wood scouts to get Max. We should be back soon." Nikki breathed as she got her supplies together. "We're gonna get Max back."

"Ok," Dolph said, " but my silence is not cheap. I require some...gifts."

"Fine." Neil snapped as he tossed him a box of cookies and a set of color pencils with a notepad.

"Mein friends, good luck," he said, before leaving the tent. Neil and Nikki still ignored him as they packed.

"Should I take the bear?" she asked, pointing to Max's stuffed Bear.

"No. He'd kill us if anything happened to it "

Nikki dropped the bear on the bed as she and Neil raced out of the tent and to the docks, where they caught a rather small canoe made of different metal and wooden parts. Neil slowly lowered the luggage as he politely got in the canoe. Nikki jumped off the dock and picked up the paddles, causing the canoe to waddle from side to side. Neil frowned at her as she began humming some little tune she heard from an Indiana Jones' movie that she wouldn't shut up about all week.

"Start rowing already," he said, pulling out a map. "We got to go a little west."

" For Max!" she huffed, as she began to row.

Max wandered around the oddly juvenile holding center that he assumed was where he and the princess were forced to part ways. His brows creased as he watched a grown man is boys shorts. The large male held a steaming beverage in his hand as he breathed in the fresh mountain air, totally in delusion by his own nostalgia. Max internally huffed, he didn't even know the man personally, but something told him that he was all types of screwy.

"Good morning Max," David said, chipper as always. "Up to some mischief?"

"Where is the princess, commoner?" he inquired, "we must be getting back the kingdom."

"Princess?" David said, puzzled.

"You know. The fair lady. With blue gems that bewitch? Her figure of perfection? Her tufts of hair, that rival the clouds in the sky?"

David looked at Max, pretty sure that the last man... _well_ , boy standing had finally just been shot. David stared at his Neon Green orbs worried. Max wasn't wearing his usual hoodie, but instead some sort of black cape and hood, with black shoes. His eyes looked slightly sunken. His hair was kind of gelled back, in a refined sort of manner.

"Are you ok Max?" he asked, putting his hand to Max's forehead, worried.

"I will not ask again, you oaf." Mac hissed, slapping his hands away. "The Princess' bounty is one of the utmost importance, and I intend to become the new king. Where have you kept her?"

"Max. Although I admire the new charisma and your determination; I have no clue what you're talking about."

"Then good day to you, you useless git." Max snarled, as he turned away from the ginger counselor. "The good lady and her bounty await those who are idle."

David looked at the retreating form of the small boy, and back down at his paper coffee cup.

"Must have been too many sugars." he reasoned. David promptly walked away, a little scared of the much more foreign side of Max that he had just met. David walked through the array of small camps, watching the campers as they went about their business. He smiled to see everyone just minding their own business. But then he frowned.

'Where the hell were the other two?'

He raced through the trail back to the camp counselor's cabin, shaking Gwen from a nap as he slammed the screen door open.

"Gwen, I think there's something very very wrong going on!" he panicked. "I just don't know what."

* * *

 **The title means Warped, and yes FandomReader12, he is hallucinating. So, you can PM the request or comment. It'll be done a day after I receive it.**

 **7.1.18** (Chaos ensues)


	4. しんせんな- Fresh

新鮮な

しんせんな

 **Fresh**

* * *

 _In which love does not conquer all_

* * *

"Just _what_ are you doing on Wood Scout territory?!" the ginger-haired leader inquired holding a baseball bat in the face of the lean science nerd. Neil winced at the much darker tone than the red-haired male normally used, its depravity sinking his soul deeper into despair.

The tension in the atmosphere was thick, dripping with unease and fear. The honey glazed pupils of the camp leader met with the baby blue gems of the awaiting prisoner. His lips were sealed shut, hesitant to say anything at all. The metal baseball bat gleamed in the fluorescent light, its glint blinding him.

He felt beads of sweat trickle down his forehead as the red-haired male slowly smiled, and propped the bat against the wall. A crease formed on his brow when he actually thought about it.

'What was Pikeman's game?'

Neil looked around the small tent, to find nothing that could possibly be used against the yellow-eyed boy, and let out a sigh of defeat. His brain had grown restless over the days of his captivity. His mind filled with pessimistic thoughts. Whatever Pikeman had in store would surely just be sheer agony. He wrinkled his nose to think of what could possibly have the red-haired boy _this_ excited.

"I've let your friend go," he said, breaking the silence. " Snake escorted her back to Campbell campgrounds."

"What?" a wave of relief washed over him, Nikki was safe, and that was one of his biggest worries off his back. "Why did you let her go?"

"She could not provide what we needed..." the red-haired boy cryptically yawned. "Her presence was more of a burden on us."

"What do you want?" Neil hissed.

The amber-eyed boy smiled. "That's none of your concern."

Neil looked at the boy, thinking he was mistaken. "How would I be able to give it to you then?"

"You don't need to know exactly what I want. You'll just be very good bait."

* * *

 **Shorter than normal, but hear me out! I'm just adjusting for the summer. There will be either an update/pt.2 to this chapter.**


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